Storage tray for flat articles



STORAGE TRAY FOR FLAT ARTICLES Filed NOV. 9, 1967 3/ (/2 yam [My in-ii"- i ll: llll hpz 'l1 0 gb' L mJ L. ...4 FIG 5 3 4 INVENTOR David B. LANDERS ATTORNEY United States Patent US. Cl. 312-18 3 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The storage tray can be stacked and has a central fiat platform, an upstanding rim on three sides thereof. Flat articles can be entered through the open side and there is a retrieving arm in each tray for retrieving the flat article when it is required.

The present invention relates to a tray for storing flat articles and more particularly to a tray which is adapted to be stacked with a plurality of like trays.

Certain flat articles, such as phonograph records, are, in most storing devices, stored in an upright position. In such a position, these records have a tendency to warp since they are not supported throughout their whole area and they are subjected to lateral forces, for instance, while they are being selected.

It is an aim of the present invention to provide a storage tray for such flat articles as phonograph records, which stores the article in a horizontal position whereby it can be fully supported. It is also an aim of the present invention to provide a storage tray which is simple in construction, takes up relatively little more space than the article to be stored therein and is a modular unit which can be stacked on top of like trays, whereby only one record is stored in each tray.

A construction in accordance with the present invention comprises a planar supporting surface, a rim bordering the planar supporting surface on all but an open side thereof, the rim having a stacking surface spaced above the planar supporting surface whereby it is adapted to support a matching tray, locking means provided on the rim for locking engagement with a matching tray, whereby the tray is adapted to receive a predetermined flat article on the supporting surface below the matching tray.

In a more specific construction, the storage tray is provided with an article retrieving means. The article retrieving means comprising a retrieving arm extending outward of the open side of the tray and an abutting member connected to said retrieving arm and suitable for abutting a flat article from the side opposite the open side.

Having thus generally described the invention, it will be referred to in more detail by reference to the accompanying drawings illustrating a preferred embodiment and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the storage tray;

FIGURE 2 is a vertical cross section taken along line 2-2 in FIGURE 1, and also showing similar trays, in dotted lines, in a stacked position;

FIGURE 3 is a vertical cross section taken along line 3-3 of FIGURE 1 and also showing, in dotted lines, similar trays stacked therewith;

FIGURE 4 is a vertical cross section taken along line 44 of FIGURE 1 and also shown in relation to similar stacked trays, shown in dotted lines, and

FIGURE 5 is a vertical cross section taken along line 5-5 of FIGURE 1.

Referring now to FIGURE 1, the tray is indicated generally by the numeral 8. Tray 8, shown in FIGURE 1,

3,481,656 Patented Dec. 2, 1969 is of generally rectangular shape and includes a downwardly extending channel 10 surrounding three sides thereof. The channel 10 includes at least on two opposed sides of the tray, a shoulder 11 which is approximately midway of a flange 13 of the channel 10. The channel 10 is also provided with a top stacking surface 12.

Within the bounds of the channel 10 is a planar supporting surface formed by the shoulders 11 and flat cross members 14 and 16. Further members such as diagonal members 18, 19, 20 and 21 and short, flat, parallel members 22 are also provided in order to strengthen the supporting surface. The top flat surfaces of all of the above-mentioned members are in the same plane as the surface of the shoulders 11.

At the open end or front end of the tray, a front member 26 extends between the ends of the channel 10. The top surface of the flat member 26 is also in the same plane as surfaces of the shoulders 11.

Upstanding catches 28, 29, 30, 31, and 32 are distributed on the top surface 12 of the channel 10 in order to lock and engage a tray 8a, stacked above tray 8, as shown in FIGURES 2 and 3 in dotted lines. The upstanding catches 28 and 29 are slightly indented in order to engage coincident lips 34 provided on a channel flange 13. The straight catch members 30, 31 and 32 engage the inner walls of the flanges 13 of the channel 10 on the three sides of the tray 8 and prevent it from any sideways movement. I

The cross member 14 is recessed to provide a guide slot 36 as shown in FIGURES 1, 2, 3 and 5. The guide slot 36 extends throughout the whole length of the cross member 34 and is adapted to receive the T-shape retrieving member 40. This retrieving member includes a longitudinal member 34 which travels in the guide slot 36 and a lateral T-member 42 which is mounted at one end of the longitudinal member 44 with a spacer therebetween. The lateral member 42 is meant to travel over the plane of the supporting surfaces formed by the members 11 and 14 to 26, for instance, while the longitudinal member 34 is meant to travel in the guide slot 36 so that its top surface is below the abovementioned supporting surface. The retrieving member 40 is also provided with a handle 45.

The tray 8, which in this case is adapted to store a long playing phonograph record, and the T-shape retrieving member 40 are adapted to be made from a suitable plastic material and to be die cast. As mentioned above, the trays are meant to be stacked one above the other and as they are being stacked the catches 28 and 29 engage the corresponding lips 34 of the flanges 13 on either side of the tray being stacked, 8a, as shown in FIGURE 2. Catches 30, 31 and 32 also engage the inner walls of the flanges 13 of channel 10 to prevent the stacked trays from any sideways movement.

The height from the supporting surface determined by the shoulders 11 and the top surface of the members 14 through 26 to the bottom of the Similar members of the tray 8a shown in dotted lines is slightly higher than the thickness of the average long playing record. Of course, the width and length dimensions of the tray between flanges 13 above the shoulders 11 is also slightly larger than the records to be stored. While stacking a number of these trays 8, each alternate tray 8a should have a retrieving member 40 with a handle 45 in the opposite direction as shown in dotted lines in FIGURE 1.

In operation, the record is set on the supporting surface determined by the shoulders 11 and the members 14 through 26. In a stored position, the retrieving member 40 is in a position whereby the lateral member 42 abuts against the flange 13 of the channel 10 of the opposite side. When it is required to choose one of the records from any one tray, the proper handle 45 is pulled towards the operator and the lateral member 42 which rides above the supporting surface abuts the end of the record as shown in FIGURE 1 and as handle 45 is pulled towards the operator, the record moves out of the tray. The lateral member 42 moves forward until it abuts against the stops 38 which prevent it from moving any further. However, the record at this point is half way out and is easily accessible.

I claim:

1. A storage tray suitable for receiving fiat articles comprising of planar supporting surface for supporting a predetermined flat article, a rim bordering the planar supporting surface, the rim defining an opening at least the width of the predetermined flat article, the rim also having a stacking surface spaced above the planar supporting surface whereby it is adapted to support an identical tray, and locking means provided on the rim for locking an identical tray in a stacked position; an elongated guide slot defined in the planar supporting surface and extending from said opening defined by the rim, an elongated flat arm adapted to slide in said slot below said planar supporting surface, the arm mounting an abutting arm at one end of the Sliding arm whereby said abutting arm is above the planar supporting surface and is adapted to engage and retrieve a stored flat article when said fiat arm is moved in the direction of the opening.

2. A plurality of stacking trays as defined in claim 1 wherein the rim is rectangular in cross section and is in the form of a downwardly extending channel.

3. A plurality of stacking trays for storing fiat articles, each tray comprising of a rectangular supporting surface for supporting the flat articles, a rim surrounding three sides of the surface, the rim having upper and lower parallel supporting surfaces, when the upper surface is spaced above the article supporting surface and the lower surface is spaced below the article supporting surface; the lower supporting surface of one rim of each tray abutting on the upper supporting surface of the rim of the lower adjacent tray and locking means for temporarily locking the rim of one tray to the rim of the adjacent tray; each tray comprising at least one fiat member extending between the rims defining said article supporting surface and an elongated guide slot defined in said flat member and extending from said open side, an elongated flat arm adapted to slide in said slot below said article supporting surface, the arm mounting an abutting arm at one end of the sliding arm whereby said abutting arm is above the article supporting surface and is adapted to engage and retrieve a stored flat article when said flat arm is moved in the direction of the open side.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,349,272 8/1920 Foss et al. 3 l2--15 FOREIGN PATENTS 416,215 11/1946 Italy. 793,415 4/ 1958 Great Britain.

95,100 12/1960 Denmark.

BOBBY R. GAY, Primary Examiner J. L. KOHNEN, Assistant Examiner UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3481656 Dated December 2, 1969 lnventofl David B Landers It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

STORAGE TRAY FOR FLAT ARTICLES David B. Landers, Montreal, Quebec, Canada Assignor to Madeleine Sugarman, Montreal, Quebec, Canada SIGNED AND SEALED AUG 251970 (SEAL) Attest:

IIII'LIAII I. an. Edward Gomissionn 01' Patio." Anesting Officer I FORM USCOMM-DC wan-Poo 

